Coffee With The Lord

Jokes and humorous (or perhaps not so humorous) observations abound about the discomfort and difficulties of 2020… and here we are today, it is December 31, the last day of this painful and problem-filled year!  People are hoping desperately that 2021 will truly usher in a “NEW YEAR!” 

Listening to the forecasters it’s clear they are “hedging their bets” on that happening!  In fact, some very high-ranking authorities are urging caution… its like they’re saying, “don’t get your hopes up – yet!

But that won’t stop people from saying it – “Happy New Year!” – with optimism (albeit with fingers crossed).

But based upon my Bible reading this morning at the close of 2020, our hopes and wishes for a “New Year” in 2021 – our desire to leave the pain and discomfort of 2020 behind for the prospects of 2021 – aren’t worth comparing to what will transpire when the Lord comes and makes “ALL THINGS NEW!  That will be a “New Year” (no, more than that – a “New Forever!”) “on steroids!”

Here is the declaration right out of the Bible: “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more!  And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God… And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Behold the dwelling place of God is with man He will dwell with them, and they will be His people, and God Himself will be with them as their God.  He will wipe away every tear from their eyes and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, no crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away!’  And He who was seated on the throne [God Himself] said ‘BEHOLD, I AM MAKING ALL THINGS NEW!” (From Revelation 21:1-5)

Read the whole account of it in Revelation 20:11 – 22:21 for yourself – it’s a great, uplifting read at the end of this year!  Heaven!  A prepared place for a prepared people – people who have been “born again,” people who “overcome,” people who have their name “in the Lamb’s book of Life, Jesus followers, righteous people!  On the other hand, those who reject Christ, and live self-willed, rebellious lives are excluded and face a frightening eternity.

Listen, I’m as ready for the pain and problems of 2020 to pass as you are… I’ll admit it – because of the hope I have in Christ, I’m ready for 2021 to come – I think the future is bright!  You can say “Happy New Year” to me hopefully if you want to… but if you really want to make my day, remind me of my future as a Christian… tell me “Happy Forever!” – “all things new!”

Many of you are aware of the Facebook group I host entitled “Coffee with the Lord” (it is also available as a WordPress blog – coffeewiththelord.com, and on Twitter @coffeewithlord). In the past “Coffee with the Lord” has largely featured almost daily devotional reflections from my Bible reading.

With the release and revision, however, of my daily Bible reading plan, “Necessary Food,” I have felt led (and have been encouraged) to devote “Coffee with the Lord” almost exclusively to my devotional reflections on selected passages from the “Necessary Food” Bible reading plan.

The result will be a kind of marriage between “Coffee with the Lord” and the “Necessary Food” Bible reading plan. I think that you that are using the Bible reading plan may find this very helpful and uplifting. Be watching for it beginning January 1 2021. Not every passage from the five daily Bible reading will be featured but at least one will.

If you have not gotten your free pdf copy of the revised “Necessary Food” Bible reading plan yet, do not hesitate to request one via e-mail (leroybartel@gmail.com).

The Bible reading plan I authored many years ago (and many of you have used) – “Necessary Food” – now has a “revised version” – I just completed it!  It is unique for several reasons…

• First of all, it focuses on “passages” (natural units of Scripture) as much as possible – not strict chapter boundaries or an arbitrary number of verses.
• Next, you read a passage from each of the major divisions of Scripture daily (thus not getting bogged down and discouraged in “genealogies” 😉 (OT historical books, Biblical poetry, prophetic literature, NT historical books, and the epistles)
• Finally, following the plan you finish reading the Bible in a year.

It’s available to you (and your ministry or church) at no charge… Simply email me at leroybartel@gmail.com and I’ll send you a pdf copy of the plan.  (If you decide to use it/reproduce it for your church or ministry I simply request you include the copyright statement when you reproduce it).

Blessings as you read God’s word daily and make it you “Spiritual Necessary Food” (it contains all the Spiritual “MDR – Minimum Daily Requirements” you need!!!

LeRoy R. Bartel, DMin